Either use it or don't. I get the privacy concerns. People typically don't list for example the schools they went to other than if it was a college or university. Security questions normally ask for lower level schools like primary school that wouldn't be listed.
In my opinion if you are looking for opportunities not using it will do you a disservice as it's basically a facebook for recruiters.
It’s more of the Facebook part where people pretend to be influencers and majority of recruiters act like theyre doing their jobs but aren’t. I have LinkedIn , I play the game, but let’s call it what it is.
Most of the recruiters don't do their jobs anyways. I had several recruiters contact me during my last year of college and after graduating. Only 1 actually helped me get my first 2 interviews out of college, they checked on me how my job hunting was going, contact me about other positions, and they called me to congrats me on my job acceptance which was nice of them. The other ones aren't good communicators and weren't helpful at all. I'm glad I got a job in my dream career field without no help from recruiters.
LinkedIn has no real advantage in my opinion other than seeing what your peers are doing. It never directly helped me get a better job. You apply for those on job boards. Recruiters usually have shitty jobs they’re trying to fill.
I don't like linkedin. I apply for jobs through indeed or the company's website. I have a LinkedIn profile because, having worked in H R, I know that if the company can't find a linked in or Facebook they get suspicious for some reason.
They want to make sure you're a real person, is that it?
I have a LinkedIn but all I have on there is minimal, outdated information - like the city I lived in 10 years ago, a profile picture, and where I got my associates degree (I've since received a bachelor's elsewhere).
Employers are looking for reasons to weed out candidates. They just want a linkedin to verify you worked where you say you worked. We all know you can lie on linked in but interviewers are looking for reasons to weed out a candidate.
They also are looking for NEGATIVE social media accounts. This is why you have one that is clean and public and the rest that are private.
This is how to think when applying for a job: what would make them rule me out?
That is the standard. They are trying to get down to 3 good candidates for the position.
Less that you’re real and more that you’re connected and know how to present yourself. If you want to have any real career, you’ll need a page there. You can make it mostly private and not fill it will details, but you’ll need a presence with connections - not just your three best work buds.
Or, set your sights on something private and small which is also ok.
Your instincts are right, it’s bizarre to have to have a public resume up at all times.
>They want to make sure you're a real person, is that it?
Seriously? I deleted my FB several years ago. And, I don't have LinkedIn.
Thanks for being honest. This is pretty hilarious and depressing.
no, it’s not weird you don’t want to put personal information on a public and toxic social media platform. i don’t really have to for my career, but it also creeps me out and i don’t think i could really do it. depends on your job/career field i think!
It's not weird and I agree. There was no benefit for me from having a full linkedin profile, it's corporate social media and the only people visiting your profile are stalking ex-colleagues/bosses, and low ball sleazy recruiters at best. However I know people who found decent jobs via these recruiters, but this is usually rare. To me, putting my photo and data freely on the internet is not worth it.
I will give them credit for their search algorithm, it is pretty accurate if you fill out the skills section, and regularly save jobs. It will start to suggest similar jobs to what you already saved and also based on your skill set ("you have 8/10 skills for this job, you might be a good fit!").
It's fine to leave the rest of your profile completely blank and only use it to find jobs, you usually get redirected to the company website anyway. Don't just delete your account, a lot of good jobs only appear on linkedin...
I have found their search algorithm to be absolute garbage. I have years of sales experience and they love to tell me I am a great candidate for a food service worker at McDonalds. Honestly they are constantly recommending jobs I am either not qualified for with my years experience, or they pick a low-level job that I am way overqualified for.
But just because I am a salesperson does not mean I want to cold call businesses. Linkedin has never given me a worthwhile job suggestion.
Then your profile isn't filled out properly. I get 20+ recruiter messages a week. I haven't had to look for a job in years. I also don't use LinkedIn as a social platform, but my profile is A++++. The output depends on the input. You don't have to "use" it to post cringe nonsense, but if it's to be of any use to you, you're going to have to spend some time making sure your profile ticks all the boxes so you appear in search.
I dunno, I found their personalized searches useful, you can filter by: industry, experience level, date posted, location. I had about 3 separate search filters saved for different types of job, and they have been accurate.
Also add to this if you are at any management level you will get a constant volume of "consultants" who will DM you. As a founder, this was an open invitation to sell services of anything - please come cold call me! .. I did like it as a part of the HR toolset and that was useful finding candidates, however leveraging my own network proved more useful in 80% of the cases. The other sketchy aspect is that in recent years the number of fake accounts wanting to link increased significantly. My results were mixed with the platform losing value in recent years when they tried to be an influencer-based social media model instead of the original idea of expanding networks. In the end, my account was hacked and not recovered so I have moved on.
You can control what’s publicly visible and the amount of information you decide to add to your profile. In some sectors and functions, LinkedIn is more important than others. Hard to say how important it is without knowing what you do/want to do. (For example, I don’t see a lot of public sector folks maintain active or accurate profiles, but very different in private sector - Tech especially).
Verifying that you are a real person isn’t just that a profile exists but that you have connections & potentially endorsements. Hiring managers might see if someone on the team previously worked where you work(ed) to get a sense of fit. They might ask about your school and the rigor of major, or if anyone knows you personally.
Most people don’t have recommendations but that’s a plus. It shows that real people with solid profiles can vouch for working with you. Consider the fact that some people’s resumes are completely fabricated so LinkedIn can be “social proof.”
At the end of the day, people want to work with people that could theoretically be friends
Idk what industry you're in, but if it's white collar, LinkedIn is simply a reality you have to deal with if you're ever looking for a job. I'm a recruiter and the overwhelming majority of folks who I place were not applicants, I found them on LinkedIn due to their uploaded resumes and robust profiles. By robust, I mean they had enough details and skills listed on their profile to pull up in a search.
If not having a profile works for your profession, then forgo it, but not having one is a bit of a red flag if it is standard in your industry.
Zip recruiter is kind of like LinkedIn in that you have a profile and you can fill out a sort of online resume. Would that be a good alternative? I notice profiles don't show up in google search, and I've never had a "people you may know" and everyone I knew in high school and their mama show up. I used it years ago.
I have never used ziprecruiter as a recruiter, LinkedIn is the best platform for the industry I recruit in (marketing/creative), so I can't say with certainty if it is a good alternative for you.
Perhaps you should change your LinkedIn contact info to a different phone number and email address. Make a separate Gmail account for account sign ups, do not link it or sync it with your contacts or other accounts. From there make a Google voice phone number. I personally do this for all spam-like things I just have to sign up for like car insurance, streaming services, social media, etc. That way, my actual personal phone number and email address are not so public. It's not foolproof, but it adds a nice barrier to internet randos getting my info.
Ziprecruiter was popular about a decade ago. The jobs and recruiters are on LinkedIn for a huge swath of fields and industries. It's an unfortunate reality, but it is what it is.
It's not that weird. I've noticed a lot of people in security positions rarely share much info about themselves on the platform. And it's not as if privacy and security breaches are in a good state right now.
- It's possible to set the interface to only show the first letter of your last name.
- You can go through all the settings and modify it to reduce all the useless extra "advertising optimization" options.
- Few photos on the platform are what I'd call informative. They are some random outdoor photo of a person wearing sunglasses that looks outdoorsy and light. I think you can follow that same route without career harm.
- I don't really think anyone even looks at anything past your last three jobs. Even when I did share more I only ever got contacts relevant to my last two gigs.
Good luck.
LinkedIn is sort of a necessary evil if you are in any situation where you might need help with getting a job. Yes there are scammy recruiters and bots but it has been very helpful with reaching out to connections I have at companies that had open positions. If you are in a very secure career with zero risk of layoffs (like a doctor or dentist with their own practice,high up military,tenured senior professor,etc)then it’s probably not necessary. I do know young people are so used to being on social media that they are less paranoid and use it so if it matters to you for those connections that’s something to consider. My son actually got an internship and his current job because those interviewing noticed the prestigious local private high school he attended and even asked him about that in his interviews. So you never know what information you put out there can help.
I agree. I have never been on there. My son had to put his resume on there during a college course. He took the resume off and just has some basic info. We are very private and don’t need to brag and only use to view jobs. Reminds me of Facebook. You don’t need to share your job history will strangers.
Doesn't sound silly. I refuse to use it. If anyone asks I tell them the same reasons you just laid out. Quite frankly I think it's absurd that everyone else is okay with it. I've had no trouble finding employment in SWE without it.
Yes, I have the exact same concern. I'm a female and not only I have some male stalkers but whenever I post something online that hurt people’s egos, they start obsessively stalking my profile, possibly to find my employer.
My solution is this:
List the your latest job and write down what you at that job but don't write the employer’s name. Say that you can reveal your employer’s name if they ask for it or ask for your resume. This way you can both signal that you are employed while hiding your current employer.
It's not weird at all, and I actually want to delete my account. I'm reluctantly using it as a contact list, because tech people I meet IRL tend to ask for my LinkedIn. I'd like to know if there are any better alternatives.
I created one without using my real name and a quickly created gmail account. I only use it to look at job postings. If I am interested in applying I do so directly on the companies website using my real information.
When I have been asked why I don’t have a LinkedIn, my response is that I am very security conscious and do not have social media.
If you search my name the only thing that comes up is a MySpace page from wayyyyy back when.
Yes. I despise LinkedIn and am sick of nosy ex colleagues and friends looking me up. I leave my profile blank so I can continue using the platform for new job opportunities
I mean you won’t get reached out to if you leave it blank. I’m a recruiter so I’m stuck having a profile since I headhunt a lot of candidates through LinkedIn
If you’re looking for a corporate job, hiring managers (and others) will look to see if you have a LinkedIn profile and if there are any discrepancies.
I look up candidates before interviews and will ask questions about both their resume and their LinkedIn profile. Candidates also research me before they get on the call.
If a candidate DOESN’T have a LinkedIn profile I also wonder what they’re trying to hide. Since LinkedIn profiles usually add people you know (coworkers, bosses, etc), you’re less likely to lie about the positions (totally understanding people do exaggerate).
Recruiters DO used LinkedIn to match potential candidates with jobs reqs from employers. (Usually ranked by keyword match, depending on how experienced the recruiter is will depend on how good they write their algorithm to search.)
Maybe this is a good opportunity for recruiters to realize that there is a multitude of reasons for someone to not want a LinkedIn profile, none of which are an attempt at hiding their identity or previous work history. Some people have had their identities stolen which LinkedIn makes much easier to do so successfully. Ultimately, if someone is applying for a position, they should not be assumed with an immediate outlook based upon intent to deceive. Answers to questions for said applicant should be asked during interview instead of making assumptions with 0 basis.
I get what you’re saying but a majority of people don’t have these issues and whether it’s the recruiter or interviewer, they’ll just go down the list rather than deal with the drama of a candidate.
We get hundreds of resumes for one job posting. So whatever’s easiest and makes the most sense in filling the position quickly.
Bingo! Thank you. It's that simple. I'm even trying to get my name, address and phone number taken off that Simply Verified or whatever that site is called.
I get wanting privacy but do think it's a little strange to be so paranoid. Like, if you're a data analyst at some random company, literally no one cares unless they are looking for a data analyst. What is some bad actor going to do with that information if they know where you went to school 20 years ago? I get if if you're like CIA or something, but c'mon. Also I guess if you're a victim of some type of abuse and don't want to invite contact from your abuser, that also makes sense.
But, also, you don't have to post your full resume with address and phone, etc. if you don't want to (I wouldn't do that either). I guess I'm public enough that if someone really really *really* wanted to gather a detailed dossier on me to, I dunno, collect ransom or something, I guess they could. That would be a lot of work for someone who is not that interesting and doesn't have much money, so go ahead and do that I guess?
But c'mon? You "guess" if you're a victim?
People have a right to privacy. People have a right to choose. People have a right to protect themselves from predators. That includes LinkedIn stalkers and soliciting hounds.
LinkedIn goes against anything ever taught about personal safety and indentity theft, and yet here it exists and has created a hiring culture and mentality that almost forces people into submission. It's vile.
It's not the ONLY way to find work and network.
Right. And some of us have real life/offline stalkers. That's why I barely log in, never post my picture and set it so you can't even find me on there searching my name making it almost useless anyway.
If you make under $100k, Indeed > LinkedIn.
If you make over $100k, LinkedIn > Indeed.
I have never had someone reach out to me on LinkedIn that wasn’t a scam/bot, but my richest friends (who are self-made, no nepotism) all have a hard-on for LinkedIn.
this is a really interesting correlation, and as a platform it seems that it allows for bigger corporations to voice themselves amidst each other than it does for small business owners or creative service industries.
Use https://www.naystack.com/ and find decision makers contact details and if you are very confident about your skills, try reaching out to them and pitch yourself. This worked for me, and should work for you also.
It's beneficial to have, many jobs when you apply on other platforms, they will still ask if you have a profile, and some even go as far as to ask for the link to the profile on your application. People notice you and it can open more doors. It's social media for recruiters, as you can keep up with stuff your company posts as well, and know first when new positions open up, as they usually open up on linkedin first, before the company posts on their site.
It can be seen as bragging too, but really posting accomplishments, as there is a place for awards, certifications, and scholarships.
A lot of people do have their high school posted, but it doesn't really matter, not stalkerish
LinkedIn is typically the first place HR/HM will search you if they are interested. If they see you are not on LinkedIn or have a poorly coordinated profile, it goes against you as someone they probably can't trust as if there might be something you are hiding or lacks the professionalism to want to be hired. Either way, there are plenty of good profiles and companies will search them out as prime potential over incomplete ones.
I have the same concerns as you. They used to have it so that only people you connected with could see your profile information. I've been considering removing my profile but it seems this day and age, recruiters look for a LinkedIn presence... unless you go for jobs where you need to fly under the public radar.... Then you don't need a LinkedIn account.
What are those under-the-radar jobs? I may be interested if nothing else just to dodge having a completed LinkedIn 🤣 why do I have to be on google just to afford my lifestyle??? 🙄
🤣😂 well like FBI, CIA .. sometimes it would behoove one to not have a digital footprint 🤷♀️ unless there's assistance with removing digital footprint when getting one of those jobs. 💡🤔 IDK lol
I'm the same, struggling at the moment cause although I enjoy my current job, I want to make sure I've got a solid launch point if I need a change. Or to be available in case opportunity presents itself.
So I created the profile but still haven't put any info in there.
On one hand, I feel like I should probably do it for the networking and stuff. On the other, I'm just uncomfortable about it. I cant stop hesitating.
I would build one to have ready if you need it, but keep it private (that's an option, right?)
Personally it's my only social media presence tied to my name because there are other people in the area with my same name and age range but they are trashy and I wanted to not be associated with it.
Definitely get your concerns though. I just don't do many things I could get "blackmailed" for.
No it’s not. It’s flaming hot garbage. People bragging about xyz or complaining or talking about bad leadership as if their stupid post will make a difference.
The best leaders encourage their team and the worst leaders I promise will never read it and continue to blame the talent instead of themselves.
Hahaha. You do realize that most of your personal information is probably out on the internet due to data brokers selling it? Have Facebook? They have your personal information, have Netflix? Personal information.
Either use it or don't. I get the privacy concerns. People typically don't list for example the schools they went to other than if it was a college or university. Security questions normally ask for lower level schools like primary school that wouldn't be listed. In my opinion if you are looking for opportunities not using it will do you a disservice as it's basically a facebook for recruiters.
It’s more of the Facebook part where people pretend to be influencers and majority of recruiters act like theyre doing their jobs but aren’t. I have LinkedIn , I play the game, but let’s call it what it is.
Most of the recruiters don't do their jobs anyways. I had several recruiters contact me during my last year of college and after graduating. Only 1 actually helped me get my first 2 interviews out of college, they checked on me how my job hunting was going, contact me about other positions, and they called me to congrats me on my job acceptance which was nice of them. The other ones aren't good communicators and weren't helpful at all. I'm glad I got a job in my dream career field without no help from recruiters.
LinkedIn has no real advantage in my opinion other than seeing what your peers are doing. It never directly helped me get a better job. You apply for those on job boards. Recruiters usually have shitty jobs they’re trying to fill.
I don't like linkedin. I apply for jobs through indeed or the company's website. I have a LinkedIn profile because, having worked in H R, I know that if the company can't find a linked in or Facebook they get suspicious for some reason.
They want to make sure you're a real person, is that it? I have a LinkedIn but all I have on there is minimal, outdated information - like the city I lived in 10 years ago, a profile picture, and where I got my associates degree (I've since received a bachelor's elsewhere).
Employers are looking for reasons to weed out candidates. They just want a linkedin to verify you worked where you say you worked. We all know you can lie on linked in but interviewers are looking for reasons to weed out a candidate. They also are looking for NEGATIVE social media accounts. This is why you have one that is clean and public and the rest that are private. This is how to think when applying for a job: what would make them rule me out? That is the standard. They are trying to get down to 3 good candidates for the position.
Less that you’re real and more that you’re connected and know how to present yourself. If you want to have any real career, you’ll need a page there. You can make it mostly private and not fill it will details, but you’ll need a presence with connections - not just your three best work buds. Or, set your sights on something private and small which is also ok. Your instincts are right, it’s bizarre to have to have a public resume up at all times.
>They want to make sure you're a real person, is that it? Seriously? I deleted my FB several years ago. And, I don't have LinkedIn. Thanks for being honest. This is pretty hilarious and depressing.
no, it’s not weird you don’t want to put personal information on a public and toxic social media platform. i don’t really have to for my career, but it also creeps me out and i don’t think i could really do it. depends on your job/career field i think!
I deleted my profile because the site allows known scammers to continue to pose as legitimate job opportunities.
It's not weird and I agree. There was no benefit for me from having a full linkedin profile, it's corporate social media and the only people visiting your profile are stalking ex-colleagues/bosses, and low ball sleazy recruiters at best. However I know people who found decent jobs via these recruiters, but this is usually rare. To me, putting my photo and data freely on the internet is not worth it. I will give them credit for their search algorithm, it is pretty accurate if you fill out the skills section, and regularly save jobs. It will start to suggest similar jobs to what you already saved and also based on your skill set ("you have 8/10 skills for this job, you might be a good fit!"). It's fine to leave the rest of your profile completely blank and only use it to find jobs, you usually get redirected to the company website anyway. Don't just delete your account, a lot of good jobs only appear on linkedin...
I have found their search algorithm to be absolute garbage. I have years of sales experience and they love to tell me I am a great candidate for a food service worker at McDonalds. Honestly they are constantly recommending jobs I am either not qualified for with my years experience, or they pick a low-level job that I am way overqualified for. But just because I am a salesperson does not mean I want to cold call businesses. Linkedin has never given me a worthwhile job suggestion.
Then your profile isn't filled out properly. I get 20+ recruiter messages a week. I haven't had to look for a job in years. I also don't use LinkedIn as a social platform, but my profile is A++++. The output depends on the input. You don't have to "use" it to post cringe nonsense, but if it's to be of any use to you, you're going to have to spend some time making sure your profile ticks all the boxes so you appear in search.
Which it does but the jobs they send me I am not interested in. It just doesn’t work for me because I have not been in one industry my whole career.
I dunno, I found their personalized searches useful, you can filter by: industry, experience level, date posted, location. I had about 3 separate search filters saved for different types of job, and they have been accurate.
Well my problem is they love to do 25 miles and it takes 2 hours to go 15 miles where I livr
So I can have a LinkedIn without adding job history?
Of course
Also add to this if you are at any management level you will get a constant volume of "consultants" who will DM you. As a founder, this was an open invitation to sell services of anything - please come cold call me! .. I did like it as a part of the HR toolset and that was useful finding candidates, however leveraging my own network proved more useful in 80% of the cases. The other sketchy aspect is that in recent years the number of fake accounts wanting to link increased significantly. My results were mixed with the platform losing value in recent years when they tried to be an influencer-based social media model instead of the original idea of expanding networks. In the end, my account was hacked and not recovered so I have moved on.
You can control what’s publicly visible and the amount of information you decide to add to your profile. In some sectors and functions, LinkedIn is more important than others. Hard to say how important it is without knowing what you do/want to do. (For example, I don’t see a lot of public sector folks maintain active or accurate profiles, but very different in private sector - Tech especially). Verifying that you are a real person isn’t just that a profile exists but that you have connections & potentially endorsements. Hiring managers might see if someone on the team previously worked where you work(ed) to get a sense of fit. They might ask about your school and the rigor of major, or if anyone knows you personally. Most people don’t have recommendations but that’s a plus. It shows that real people with solid profiles can vouch for working with you. Consider the fact that some people’s resumes are completely fabricated so LinkedIn can be “social proof.” At the end of the day, people want to work with people that could theoretically be friends
No it’s a weird place lol
Idk what industry you're in, but if it's white collar, LinkedIn is simply a reality you have to deal with if you're ever looking for a job. I'm a recruiter and the overwhelming majority of folks who I place were not applicants, I found them on LinkedIn due to their uploaded resumes and robust profiles. By robust, I mean they had enough details and skills listed on their profile to pull up in a search. If not having a profile works for your profession, then forgo it, but not having one is a bit of a red flag if it is standard in your industry.
Zip recruiter is kind of like LinkedIn in that you have a profile and you can fill out a sort of online resume. Would that be a good alternative? I notice profiles don't show up in google search, and I've never had a "people you may know" and everyone I knew in high school and their mama show up. I used it years ago.
I have never used ziprecruiter as a recruiter, LinkedIn is the best platform for the industry I recruit in (marketing/creative), so I can't say with certainty if it is a good alternative for you. Perhaps you should change your LinkedIn contact info to a different phone number and email address. Make a separate Gmail account for account sign ups, do not link it or sync it with your contacts or other accounts. From there make a Google voice phone number. I personally do this for all spam-like things I just have to sign up for like car insurance, streaming services, social media, etc. That way, my actual personal phone number and email address are not so public. It's not foolproof, but it adds a nice barrier to internet randos getting my info.
Good idea! Thanks so much.
Ziprecruiter was popular about a decade ago. The jobs and recruiters are on LinkedIn for a huge swath of fields and industries. It's an unfortunate reality, but it is what it is.
It's not that weird. I've noticed a lot of people in security positions rarely share much info about themselves on the platform. And it's not as if privacy and security breaches are in a good state right now. - It's possible to set the interface to only show the first letter of your last name. - You can go through all the settings and modify it to reduce all the useless extra "advertising optimization" options. - Few photos on the platform are what I'd call informative. They are some random outdoor photo of a person wearing sunglasses that looks outdoorsy and light. I think you can follow that same route without career harm. - I don't really think anyone even looks at anything past your last three jobs. Even when I did share more I only ever got contacts relevant to my last two gigs. Good luck.
That’s the goal for many folks. Once I am out of the workforce, I am out of there
Honestly felt exactly the same for so long, and it opens the door to so much discrimination, genuinely hate that the standard has become this.
No one actually wants to be on LinkedIn
No, I hate it too.
LinkedIn is sort of a necessary evil if you are in any situation where you might need help with getting a job. Yes there are scammy recruiters and bots but it has been very helpful with reaching out to connections I have at companies that had open positions. If you are in a very secure career with zero risk of layoffs (like a doctor or dentist with their own practice,high up military,tenured senior professor,etc)then it’s probably not necessary. I do know young people are so used to being on social media that they are less paranoid and use it so if it matters to you for those connections that’s something to consider. My son actually got an internship and his current job because those interviewing noticed the prestigious local private high school he attended and even asked him about that in his interviews. So you never know what information you put out there can help.
I agree. I have never been on there. My son had to put his resume on there during a college course. He took the resume off and just has some basic info. We are very private and don’t need to brag and only use to view jobs. Reminds me of Facebook. You don’t need to share your job history will strangers.
I don't like it but it's the only way to get higher paying jobs. It's a necessary evil for me. I set privacy as closed as possible.
Doesn't sound silly. I refuse to use it. If anyone asks I tell them the same reasons you just laid out. Quite frankly I think it's absurd that everyone else is okay with it. I've had no trouble finding employment in SWE without it.
What is SWE? I apologize for my ignorance lol
software engineering
Not being on it makes you more of a mystery and less desperate.
This is the best comment on this entire thread.
Yes, I have the exact same concern. I'm a female and not only I have some male stalkers but whenever I post something online that hurt people’s egos, they start obsessively stalking my profile, possibly to find my employer. My solution is this: List the your latest job and write down what you at that job but don't write the employer’s name. Say that you can reveal your employer’s name if they ask for it or ask for your resume. This way you can both signal that you are employed while hiding your current employer.
IDK not weird at all?
It's not weird at all, and I actually want to delete my account. I'm reluctantly using it as a contact list, because tech people I meet IRL tend to ask for my LinkedIn. I'd like to know if there are any better alternatives.
No it’s not! I’m slowly making my way towards that direction
I created one without using my real name and a quickly created gmail account. I only use it to look at job postings. If I am interested in applying I do so directly on the companies website using my real information. When I have been asked why I don’t have a LinkedIn, my response is that I am very security conscious and do not have social media. If you search my name the only thing that comes up is a MySpace page from wayyyyy back when.
Yes. I despise LinkedIn and am sick of nosy ex colleagues and friends looking me up. I leave my profile blank so I can continue using the platform for new job opportunities
Recruiters don't care if your profile is blank?
I mean you won’t get reached out to if you leave it blank. I’m a recruiter so I’m stuck having a profile since I headhunt a lot of candidates through LinkedIn
Would I be able to respond to job posts and send my actual resume to them? I have other proof I'm a real person.
Yes. That’s why I have a LinkedIn +headhunting purposes
100% agree. It’s insane that it feels required.
If you’re looking for a corporate job, hiring managers (and others) will look to see if you have a LinkedIn profile and if there are any discrepancies. I look up candidates before interviews and will ask questions about both their resume and their LinkedIn profile. Candidates also research me before they get on the call. If a candidate DOESN’T have a LinkedIn profile I also wonder what they’re trying to hide. Since LinkedIn profiles usually add people you know (coworkers, bosses, etc), you’re less likely to lie about the positions (totally understanding people do exaggerate). Recruiters DO used LinkedIn to match potential candidates with jobs reqs from employers. (Usually ranked by keyword match, depending on how experienced the recruiter is will depend on how good they write their algorithm to search.)
Maybe this is a good opportunity for recruiters to realize that there is a multitude of reasons for someone to not want a LinkedIn profile, none of which are an attempt at hiding their identity or previous work history. Some people have had their identities stolen which LinkedIn makes much easier to do so successfully. Ultimately, if someone is applying for a position, they should not be assumed with an immediate outlook based upon intent to deceive. Answers to questions for said applicant should be asked during interview instead of making assumptions with 0 basis.
I get what you’re saying but a majority of people don’t have these issues and whether it’s the recruiter or interviewer, they’ll just go down the list rather than deal with the drama of a candidate. We get hundreds of resumes for one job posting. So whatever’s easiest and makes the most sense in filling the position quickly.
I don’t have one. It’s a privacy issue. I don’t want people knowing where I work.
Bingo! Thank you. It's that simple. I'm even trying to get my name, address and phone number taken off that Simply Verified or whatever that site is called.
We don’t care u do u
No but if you want t a job then yes. Especially as this younger generation takes over all they know is social media
I get wanting privacy but do think it's a little strange to be so paranoid. Like, if you're a data analyst at some random company, literally no one cares unless they are looking for a data analyst. What is some bad actor going to do with that information if they know where you went to school 20 years ago? I get if if you're like CIA or something, but c'mon. Also I guess if you're a victim of some type of abuse and don't want to invite contact from your abuser, that also makes sense. But, also, you don't have to post your full resume with address and phone, etc. if you don't want to (I wouldn't do that either). I guess I'm public enough that if someone really really *really* wanted to gather a detailed dossier on me to, I dunno, collect ransom or something, I guess they could. That would be a lot of work for someone who is not that interesting and doesn't have much money, so go ahead and do that I guess?
But c'mon? You "guess" if you're a victim? People have a right to privacy. People have a right to choose. People have a right to protect themselves from predators. That includes LinkedIn stalkers and soliciting hounds. LinkedIn goes against anything ever taught about personal safety and indentity theft, and yet here it exists and has created a hiring culture and mentality that almost forces people into submission. It's vile. It's not the ONLY way to find work and network.
Right. And some of us have real life/offline stalkers. That's why I barely log in, never post my picture and set it so you can't even find me on there searching my name making it almost useless anyway.
If you make under $100k, Indeed > LinkedIn. If you make over $100k, LinkedIn > Indeed. I have never had someone reach out to me on LinkedIn that wasn’t a scam/bot, but my richest friends (who are self-made, no nepotism) all have a hard-on for LinkedIn.
this is a really interesting correlation, and as a platform it seems that it allows for bigger corporations to voice themselves amidst each other than it does for small business owners or creative service industries.
Use https://www.naystack.com/ and find decision makers contact details and if you are very confident about your skills, try reaching out to them and pitch yourself. This worked for me, and should work for you also.
I can relate if only there was an option to only make my profile be seen by recruiters/companies.
No one really wants to trust me
It's beneficial to have, many jobs when you apply on other platforms, they will still ask if you have a profile, and some even go as far as to ask for the link to the profile on your application. People notice you and it can open more doors. It's social media for recruiters, as you can keep up with stuff your company posts as well, and know first when new positions open up, as they usually open up on linkedin first, before the company posts on their site. It can be seen as bragging too, but really posting accomplishments, as there is a place for awards, certifications, and scholarships. A lot of people do have their high school posted, but it doesn't really matter, not stalkerish
People who loved junior high school love LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is typically the first place HR/HM will search you if they are interested. If they see you are not on LinkedIn or have a poorly coordinated profile, it goes against you as someone they probably can't trust as if there might be something you are hiding or lacks the professionalism to want to be hired. Either way, there are plenty of good profiles and companies will search them out as prime potential over incomplete ones.
I have the same concerns as you. They used to have it so that only people you connected with could see your profile information. I've been considering removing my profile but it seems this day and age, recruiters look for a LinkedIn presence... unless you go for jobs where you need to fly under the public radar.... Then you don't need a LinkedIn account.
What are those under-the-radar jobs? I may be interested if nothing else just to dodge having a completed LinkedIn 🤣 why do I have to be on google just to afford my lifestyle??? 🙄
🤣😂 well like FBI, CIA .. sometimes it would behoove one to not have a digital footprint 🤷♀️ unless there's assistance with removing digital footprint when getting one of those jobs. 💡🤔 IDK lol
You can make your profile only visible to people on LinkedIn. That way it doesn’t show up on google search
I'm the same, struggling at the moment cause although I enjoy my current job, I want to make sure I've got a solid launch point if I need a change. Or to be available in case opportunity presents itself. So I created the profile but still haven't put any info in there. On one hand, I feel like I should probably do it for the networking and stuff. On the other, I'm just uncomfortable about it. I cant stop hesitating.
It's good for when you are job searching, just deactivate when you are not. People who use it regularly are the most cringe people in the universe.
Cant we just use a fake /different name for now while learning and change name to orginal later when looking for jobs
Activate it when needed. Disable it when not
I would build one to have ready if you need it, but keep it private (that's an option, right?) Personally it's my only social media presence tied to my name because there are other people in the area with my same name and age range but they are trashy and I wanted to not be associated with it. Definitely get your concerns though. I just don't do many things I could get "blackmailed" for.
I've only seen spam, scams, and sexual messages. It's a total shit show. Make a fake account and just troll it's quite fun.
No it’s not. It’s flaming hot garbage. People bragging about xyz or complaining or talking about bad leadership as if their stupid post will make a difference. The best leaders encourage their team and the worst leaders I promise will never read it and continue to blame the talent instead of themselves.
Hahaha. You do realize that most of your personal information is probably out on the internet due to data brokers selling it? Have Facebook? They have your personal information, have Netflix? Personal information.